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John White, state superintendent of education in Louisiana, will give the keynote address at the 2012 Henry Hart Rice Urban Public Policy Forum on Monday, April 23, at NYU Wagner (295 Lafayette Street, 2nd Floor, New York, N.Y., at the corner of Houston Street). The Forum begins at 6:00 p.m.

White’s remarks on public education reform will come in the immediate aftermath of the Louisiana State Legislature’s approval in mid-April of a bill to establish one of the United States’ most extensive systems of school choice across the state. Under the initiative, of which White is a leading architect, a package of vouchers and other tools would be introduced to enable students in Louisiana’s public schools to pay for state-approved apprenticeships at local businesses, as well as college courses and private online classes. In addition, the bill, expected to be signed into law by Governor Bobby Jindal, would set the stage for rapid expansion of charter schools. It also includes a provision allowing parents to vote to convert their children’s low-performing schools into charters, which are public schools run by nongovernment entities.

“This is about giving parents choice and about fostering competition across the education system," White, a recent recipient of a Master's in Public Administration from the Wagner school and a former high-level administrator with the New York City Department of Education, told the Wall Street Journal (April 12). “We are trying to incentivize people outside the four walls of the school building to help us create a workforce that can compete.”

The annual Forum is organized by Mitchell Moss, the Henry Hart Rice Professor of Urban Policy and Planning at NYU Wagner.

Seating for the event is limited, and RSVP is required – visit http://wagner.nyu.edu/events/education-04-23-2012 to register. Media coverage is welcome: Contact Robert Polner 212.998.2337 or robert.polner(at)nyu.edu.